U.S. Presidential Inaugurations: "I Do Solemnly Swear..."
A Resource Guide

The Library of Congress digital collections include a wide variety of primary source materials documenting presidential inaugurations. This Web guide includes diaries and letters written by presidents and those who witnessed the inaugurations, handwritten drafts of inaugural addresses, broadsides, inaugural tickets and programs, prints, photographs, and sheet music.

A key objective is providing access to many treasures and other important primary source materials held by the Library of Congress. The collection has been organized chronologically by presidential inauguration.

Selections are drawn from the Manuscript Division, the Prints and Photographs Division, the Rare Book and Special Collections Division, the Music Division, and the general collections of the Library of Congress. Additional photographs were provided by the Architect of the Capitol, the White House, and the United States Senate Office of the Sergeant at Arms.

Notice: On January 23 to February 4, 2017, the Library of Congress featured a special display of presidential inaugural treasures in the Thomas Jefferson Building. Included in the display were the handwritten speeches of Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln, as well as maps, newspapers, menus, film clips, and souvenirs from other presidential inaugurations. [Download a checklist] (PDF, 209KB)